Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust marks third anniversary of the CITT Ambassador Program and honors CITT Ambassador of the Year

This morning, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava joined the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT), Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works Director and CEO Stacy L. Miller, P.E., and community leaders in celebrating the third anniversary of the CITT Ambassador Program and recognizing the 2025 CITT Ambassador of the Year for outstanding contributions to the innovative rider-driven feedback and public engagement program.

Launched in 2023, the CITT Ambassador Program empowers frequent transit riders to share real-time insights through brief, regular online surveys. That feedback is compiled and shared with the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works and municipal partners to strengthen the transit experience, support service improvements, identify issues riders see first and help ensure transportation investments funded by the half-penny surtax remain in good condition.

"Miami-Dade moves forward when the public has a meaningful role in shaping the services they rely on every day," said Mayor Levine Cava. "The CITT Ambassador Program turns everyday riders into everyday problem solvers, bringing us practical feedback and helping us keep transit safe, reliable, and responsive. I'm proud to celebrate this third anniversary and want to congratulate this year's CITT Ambassador of the Year, along with every ambassador who is helping improve mobility and quality of life across our community."

CITT Ambassadors earn points for their participation, which can be redeemed for mobility rewards, such as ride-share credits on Uber and Lyft. As the program continues to grow, CITT leaders say the program is strengthening the connection between community voices and transportation decision making.

Honored this year as the 2025 CITT Ambassador of the Year was Theo Karantsalis, who this past year, earned a record-breaking 167,400 points for completing surveys while virtually riding all modes of public transportation in Miami-Dade County. Karantsalis has been a volunteer CITT Ambassador since July 2023. Karantsalis’s win was celebrated this morning at Casa Cuba restaurant in South Miami at an event organized by Miami’s Community Newspapers.

“I’m socially awkward, but as a retired Miami Dade College librarian, I saw public transit as a way to learn from people, answer questions, and represent our community well,” said Karantsalis. “Last year, I rode upward of 15,000 miles on buses, trains, trolleys and Freebees, across the county, plus Amtrak and Brightline. I tracked it with logbooks and apps, and shared tips to improve service.

“Making transit better means people can get to work, school, and appointments reliably and affordably. To me, it means independence. It means I can swim at UM and visit doctors by myself. This award recognizes how to love your neighbor through service. Each stop takes me to a place where I can do good in someone's life: directions, conversation, or kindness when someone looks like they're barely holding it together. Because when you lift someone's spirits, you may have saved their life,” Karantsalis said.

Mary Street, Chair of the CITT, said the CITT Ambassador Program has become one of the Trust’s most effective tools for turning everyday feedback into measurable improvements, helping protect the public’s investments while elevating the voices of the people who use transit services the most.

"In only three years, this program has become a trusted, on-the-ground channel for what riders are experiencing and for what needs attention," Street said. "The CITT Ambassador Program reflects what CITT is here to do: protect the public's investment, elevate community input, and push for a transit system that works for everyone.”

“Today's celebration recognizes not only one outstanding ambassador, but a countywide network of residents who are stepping up and shaping progress," Street added.

Miguel Murphy, Chair of the CITT’s Community Engagement Committee, noted that the program's strength is its simplicity: meeting people where they are, and turning lived experiences into actionable insight.

"This is hands-on community engagement that is powered by riders, informed by real experiences, and focused on solutions," Murphy said. "When we talk about transparency and accountability, this is what it looks like: listening consistently, tracking patterns, and sharing that information with the agencies responsible for improving service.” Murphy added, “The CITT Ambassador Program helps us ensure that residents aren't just being informed, they're being engaged and are helping guide the future of transit in Miami-Dade County."

As the CITT Ambassador Program enters its third year, CITT officials encouraged more frequent transit riders to join and help expand the program's reach and ensure that even more neighborhoods, routes, and rider perspectives are represented.

For more information about the program and how to apply, transit riders can visit the CITT Ambassador Program page. To learn more about CITT, people can visit CITT's website or call 305-375-1357.

About the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust (CITT):
The Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust is an independent oversight board and “watchdog” that monitors expenditures of Miami-Dade County's half-penny transportation sales surtax used for improving mobility for County residents.